Multiple container holder



March 28, 1967 w. SPANDOCK MULTIPLE CONTAINER HOLDER 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 10, 1965 W. SPANDCCK MULTIPLE CONTAINER HOLDER v March 28, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 10, 1965 March 28, 1967 I w. SPANDOCK 3,311,402

MULTIPLE CONTAINER HOLDER Filed Dec. 10, 1965 s Sheets-Sheet Fig.6

March 1967 w. SPANDCCK MULTIPLE CONTAINER HOLDER 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 10, 1965 w WHHWHU March 28; 1967 w. SPANDOCK 3,311,402

MULTIPLE CONTAINER HOLDER Filed Dec. 10, 1965 Fig.13

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8 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 28, 1967 w. sPANDOcK MULTIPLE CONTAINER HOLDER 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Dec. 10, 1965 Fig.16

March 28, 1967 w. SPANDQCK MULTIPLE CONTAINER HOLDER 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 10, 1965 Fig 17 United States Patent 3,311,462 MULTEPLE CONTAINER HOLDER Wilhelm Spandiiclr, Dortmund, Germany, assignor to Fritz Busche Druckereigesellschait m.b.H., Dortmund, Germany. a German company Filed Dec. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 512,952 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 24, 1964, B 79,904 9 Claims. (Cl. 29487.2)

The invention relates to a multiple container holder for retaining a plurality of containers, each container having at least one beaded rim or a cover that provides a peripheral projection. Such holders are of the kind formed from a cardboard blank and having a central panel, longitudinal side strips which are bent-over out of the plane of said panel, are connected with the latter only at one fold line in each case, and are formed with apertures, located opposite each other in pairs, for receiving the beaded rims or covers of the containers to be retained by the holder.

A known multiple container holder made of cardboard for holding together a plurality of cylindrical cans each of which is provided with at least one beaded rim consists of a central panel adjacent the longitudinal edges of which there is, in each case, one longitudinal side strip consisting of three fold strips. The inner fold strip located immediately adjacent the central panel extends approximately perpendicularly with respect to the central panel, the middle strip of the three fold strips is wrappedover inwardly and inclines towards the central panel and the outer fold strip is adhesively secured to the central panel. In the neighbourhood of the two fold lines located between the outer and the middle fold strips, slots are formed in the middle fold strips and are positioned opposite each other in pairs for receiving the beaded rims of the cans retained in the holder. If the can holder is folded by wrapping-in the inner and middle fold strips of the longitudinal edge strips onto the central panel, four layers of cardboard are disposed one upon the other, so that a bulky shape is produced, inconvenient for despatch purposes. If the can holder is unfolded and pressed over the cans to be retained, it may easily happen that the various parts become engaged in an undesirable manner and this may result in difficulty in mechanical placing of the can holder on the cans. Since the beaded rims of the cans bear, in each case, only on a single cardboard layer. this can holder can be used only for cans of low weight.

In the case of another can holder which is constructed with a similar cross-section, the piece of cardboard is so stuck that it has, in the folded state, the shape of flat, compressed tubing. This can holder can also be used only for cans of slight weight. Due to the double-layer central panel, this can holder requires a relatively large piece of cardboard.

Another known can holder for retaining a plurality of cans consists of a cardboard strip which is in one layer throughout and has two longitudinal side strips bent over at approximately right angles from the central panel and formed with slots arranged in pairs opposite each other for receiving the beaded edges of the cans which are to be retained. Between the central panel and the singlelayer longitudinal side strips, there are sections which extend obliquely between the cans, the purpose of which sections is to ensure that the downwardly bent-over longitudinal side strips bear closely against the adjacent portion of the outer generated surface of the cans. These obliquely-extending sections increase the play or clearance when the various elements interengage, diminish the rigidity of the deformed can holder and increase the danger of tearing. To this must be added the fact that the 3313,42 Patented Mar. 28, 1967 ice beaded rims of the cans bear on only a single cardboard layer, so that this can holder as well is suitable only for cans of low weight.

It is the object of the invention to provide a cardboard multiple container holder which is suitable for retaining cans of relatively considerable weight and which can be placed on the cans by mechanical means and without difliculty. The multple container holder is to be economical on cardboard and is to be capable of being laid completely flat for despatch purposes. In the deformed ready-for-use position, the multiple container holder is to have the greatest possible rigidity and it is to be resistant to tearing.

According to the present invention there is provided a multiple container holder of the kind specified, wherein each longitudinal side strip has an inwardly folded-over edge strip adhesively secured to the inner surface thereof.

Preferably the apertures are formed by punching the lugs or tabs out of the longitudinal side strips, these tabs remaining in the plane of the central panel when the longitudinal side strips are bent over at right angles to the central panel. Slot-like apertures appear in the longitudinal side strips at the former locations of the tabs.

The apertures are dimensioned in each case in accordance with those of the beaded rims of the cans to be retained, and there is set up, when the longitudinal side strips are bent over, a tension effect which presses the longitudinal side strips against the cans. The retaining of the cans in the can holder results mainly from the fact that, after the bending-over in the downward direction of the longitudinal side strips of the can holder which has been placed on top of the cans, the upper beaded rims of the cans snap into the slots under the tabs with an audible snap, and project to a certain extent through the slots. This is, in particular, due to the fact that the transverse dimension of the central panel is in no case wider than the diameter of the generated surface of the cans. Thus, the cans cannot fall downwards out of the can holder disposed over the cans, since when the can holder is grasped a lateral pressure is exerted on the cans. However, even without this lateral pressure, the cans remain fast. Due to the proposal of the invention to reinforce the longitudinal side strips by means of inwardly-wrapped-over and stuck-on edge strips, the retaining pressure is increased still further.

The cans can be given an especially firm hold by an arrangement in which the free edges of the edge strips stuck on the longitudinal side strips project slightly into the visible field of the slots in the outwardly positioned longitudinal strips. The upper edge of the inner edge strips is nearest both to the can and also to the beaded rim thereof 'and is therefore jammed firmly under the beaded rim, so that the can is securely suspended.

It has been found that the multiple container holder intended for combining in a single sales unit a plurality of cylindrical cans, each of which having at least one beaded rim, requires only small changes in order to make it suitable also for combining other containers having a downwardly projecting, circular rim, preferably cylindrical containers, for example glass containers having a screw closure means or bottles having a rotary closure means. For this wider field of application of the multiple container holder, it is merely necessary to form in the two double layers resulting from the sticking of the edge strips to the longitudinal strips recesses having the same height as the container closure means.

Expediently, the folded-over edge strips, which may eX- tend somewhat over the central portion, are stuck only over the longitudinal side strips. When so doing, there is left in the apertures formed in the longitudinal strips and edge strips in each case a lug which extends outwardly from the central panel of the cardboard member and which, when the longitudinal side strips are bent over, remains in the plane of the central panel.

In order to improve the engagement of the multiple container holder under the downwardly projecting end of the closure means of the containers to be retained, the edge adjacent the outer edge of the longitudinal side strip of the apertures formed in the longitudinal side strips and edge strips has, at its centre, a lug projecting into the aperture,

In order to ensure that this lug will bear closely against the container with which it engages, the lug has a straight upper edge and has one or more short notches extending perpendicularly with respect to its straight edge.

In order to improve the grip of the multiple container holder on the containers which it engages, in particular bottles having a rotary closure means, the apertures formed in the longitudinal side strips and the edge strips may taper slightly in the direction towards the central panel.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect reference will now be made, byway of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a multiple container holder of cardboard for cans, shown in the readyfor-use position,

FIGURE 2 is a section, to an enlarged scale, on the line II-II of FIGURE 1, the cardboard thickness being exaggerated,

FIGURE 3 is an underneath perspective view of the can holder,

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the flattened blank from which the can holder is formed,

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line VV of FIG- URE 4,

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of the can holder with three cans retained in it, drawn to a larger scale,

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the can holder shown in FIGURE 6,

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a multiple container holder of cardboard. for glass containers each having a top which can be screw off, the illustration showing the ready-for-use position,

FIGURE 9 is a section, to a larger scale, on the line IXIX of FIGURE 8, the cardboard thickness being exaggerated,

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of the flattened cardboard blank from which the multiple container holder for glass containers is formed.

FIGURE 11 is a section, to a larger scale, on the line XIXI of FIGURE 10, the cardboard thickness being exaggerated,

FIGURE 12 is a front elevation of three glass containers retained by the multiple container holder of FIG- URE 8,

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a multiple container holder of cardboard for bottles having rotary closure members, shown in the ready-for-use position,

FIGURE 14 is a section, to a larger scale, on the line XIVXIV of FIGURE 13, the cardboard thickness being exaggerated,

FIGURE 15 is a plan view of a flattened cardboard blank, from which the multiple container holder for bottles is formed,

FIGURE 16 is a section, to a larger scale, on the line XVIXVI of FIGURE 15, the cardboard thickness being exaggerated, and

FIGURE 17 is a front elevation of three bottles retained by the multiple container holder of FIGURE 13.

The piece of cardboard or blank from which the multiple container holder according to FIGURES 1-7 is formed has a central substantially rectangular panel Whose width is equal to the diameter of the generated surface of the cans to be retained by the holder. Two longitudinal side strips 2, 3 are disposed on each side of the panel 1, being joined thereto only at fold lines 4 and 5. Punched out of the longitudinal side strips, in such a manner that they are positioned opposite each other in pairs, is a plurality of lugs or tabs 6 and 7 which remian joined to the panel 1 and which, when the longitudinal side strips (as shown in FIGURES l and 2) are bent over out of the plane of the central panel 1, remain in the plane of the central panel I. In this way, slot-like apertures 14 11 remain free in the longitudinal side strips 2 and 3 at the former locations of the tabs 6 and 7. Adjacent the longitudinal side strips 2 and 3 respectively are edge strips 8 and 9, each of which is bent over inwardly and adhesively secured to the inside surface of the associated longitudinal side strip 2 or 3. The distance e between the free edges of the edge strips 8, 9 from the panel 1 is somewhat less than the thickness of the beaded rim of the cans to be retained by the holder, and the free edge portions of the edge strips slightly overlap the lower edges of the slots 10 and 11. These free edge portions could be made to terminate flush with the lower edges of the slots.

It the can holder in the flattened form shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 is placed on the top of a group of cans 18 each having an upper and lower beaded rim 17 and 19 and if then the longitudinal side strips 2, 3 are wrapped-over downwardly to extend at right angles to the central panel 1 and are pressed against the cans, portions of the upper beaded rims 18 project through the slots 10 and 11 formed in the longitudinal side strips 2 and 3. The tree edges of the side strips 8 and 9 are slightly deformed but grip the rims of cans. The pressure on the longitudinal side strips 6 and 7 and the edge strips thereof is sufficient to maintain the can holder in position, holding together the group of cans.

The cardboard blank from which is formed the multiple container holder for glass containers having covers which can be screwed off, according to FIGURES 8-12, has a central panel 21 and two longitudinal side strips 22 and 23 which are bent over substantially at right angles to the central panel 21 and which are connected to the central panel at fold lines 24 and 25. Beyond the outer edges 26 of the longitudinal side strips 22, 23 is in each case an edge strip 27, 28 which is folded over inwardly about the outer edge 26 and is adhesivcly secured to the associated longitudinal side strip. The extreme longitudinal edge portions of the edge strips 27, 28 extend inwardly over the underside of the central panel 1 but they are not adhesively secured thereto. The only adhesion is between the longitudinal side strips 22 and 23 and the vertical portion of the edge strips 27 and 28. Due to the sticking of the longitudinal side strips to the edge strips double layers are formed. Cut-out portions 29, 30 positioned opposite each other in pairs, for receiving the screw cover 37 of the glass containers 38 are made, by punching out for example, in the combined side strips 22 and 23 and edge strips 27 and 28 defining lugs or tabs 31 and 32 extending outwardly from the central panel 21. These lugs 31 and 32 remain in the plane of the central panel 21 when the longitudinal side strips 22 and 23 are bent-over perpendicularly to the central panel 21, the apertures 29 and 30 increasing in size and becoming larger in area than the lugs 30 and 31. Each edge 33, adjacent the folded edge 26 of the longitudinal side strips 22 and 23, of the apertures 29 or 30 has in its central portion a ing 34 or 35 which projects into the aperture. The lugs 34 or 35 have straight upper edges parallel to the panel 21 and are each formed with a plurality of notches 36 extending perpendicularly to the upper edge.

The multiple container holder for bottles having rotary closure means according to FIGURES 13-17 is again 'formed from a cardboard member having a central panel 41 and two longitudinal side strips 42 and 43 bent over approximately perpendicularly thereto about fold lines 44 and 45. Adjacent the outer edges 46 of the longitudinal side strips is in each case an edge strip 47, 48 which is folded over inwardly about the outer edges and adhesively secured to the associated longitudinal side strip. The extreme edge portions of the strips 47, 48 extend somewhat over the underside of the central panel 41, to which, however, they are not stuck. Punched out of the double layers formed by sticking together of the longitudinal side strips and the associated edge strip are apertures 49 and 50 located opposite each other in pairs and serving for receiving the rotary closure means 57 of the bottles 58. In each case there remains a lug or tab 51 or 52 extending outwardly from the central panel 41. When the longitudinal side strips 42 and 43 are bent over perpendicularly with respect to the central panel 41, the lugs 51 and 52 remain in the plane of the central panel. Each lower edge 53 of the apertures 49 and 50 has a central raised portion forming lugs 54 or 55 extending into the apertures. Each lug 54 and 55 has a downwardly extending notch or recess 56. The side edges of the apertures 49 and 50 taper together slightly towards the central panel.

The folding and placing in position of any of the multiple container holders described above can be effected manually or by a machine.

In the former case, the multiple container holder is laid, in the form of a flat, partly double-layer blank, on top of the containers which are disposed side by side in a row ready to be combined into a single unit, and then the longitudinal side strips adhesively secured to the edge strips are bent downwardly at right angles to the central panel and are pressed into the projecting, circular edge at the upper part of the containers. Parts of the circular rims of the containers then project outwardly through each of the apertures positioned opposite each other in pairs in the multiple container holder, and are supported by the double layer of longitudinal side strips and edge strips.

In the case of machine operation, the containers to be combined travel on an endless belt into the so-called placing-on station, and as the holder is fitted, are guided through lateral lining walls which can be changed and adapted to the size of the containers to be combined in each specific case. The fiat blank of the multiple container holder is introduced manually or with the aid of a mechanical feed device under a sprung shaping tool adapted to be moved upwardly and downwardly by compressed air. During the downward travel, the sprung shaping tool presses the flat blank against the glass containers, bottles or cans to be combined and holds it fast there. Then the adhesively secured, lateral walls of the holder are bent downwardly at right angles to the central panel 1 by metal projections on the shapingtool and at the same time are pressed against the projecting circular rims on the upper part of the containers. The rims then partly project through the apertures located opposite each other in the multiple container holder.

I claim:

1. A holder for retaining a plurality of containers which each have at least one beaded rim or cover that provides a projection, the holder being formed from a cardboard blank and comprising (a) central panel (b) longitudinal side strips which are bent-over out of the plane of said panel (c) apertures located opposite each other in pairs in said side strips for receiving the beaded rims or cov ers to be retained by the holder, and

(d) in inwardly folded-over edge strip adhesively secured to the inner surface of each longitudinal side strip.

2. A multiple container holder according to claim 1,

wherein said apertures are formed as slots by lugs being punched out of the longitudinal side strips, such lugs extending outwardly from the central plane and remaining in the plane of the central panel when the longitudinal side strips are bent over from the central panel.

3. A multiple container holder according to claim 2, wherein the free edges of said edge strips extend flush with the edges of the slots remote from the central panel.

4. A multiple container holder according to claim 2, wherein the free edge portions of the edge strips overlap the edges of the slots remote from the central panel.

5. A multiple container holder according to claim 1, wherein the folded-over edge strips are stuck only to the longitudinal side strips and said edge strips have longitudinal edge portions which overlie the central panel.

6. A multiple container holder according to claim 2, wherein the apertures are larger in area than the associated lugs, the slots made in the blank defining the lugs being enlarged to form said apertures when the longitudinal side strips are bent over out of the plane of the central panel.

7. A multiple container holder according to claim 6, wherein the edge of each aperture remote from the central panel is provided with a central lug projecting into the aperture.

8. A multiple container holder according to claim 7, wherein each lug projecting into the aperture has a straight edge and at least one notch or recess extending perpendicularly to said edge.

9. A multiple container holder according to claim 6, wherein the aperture formed in the longitudinal side strips and edge strips taper in the direction towards the central panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,965,410 12/1960 Hughes 294-872 3,099,475 7/1963 Manizza 206 X GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HOLDER FOR RETAINING A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS WHICH EACH HAVE AT LEAST ONE BEADED RIM OR COVER THAT PROVIDES A PROJECTION, THE HOLDER BEING FORMED FROM A CARDBOARD BLANK AND COMPRISING (A) CENTRAL PANEL (B) LONGITUDINAL SIDE STRIPS WHICH ARE BENT-OVER OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID PANEL (C) APERTURES LOCATED OPPOSITE EACH OTHER IN PAIRS IN SAID SIDE STRIPS FOR RECEIVING THE BEADED RIMS OR COVERS TO BE RETAINED BY THE HOLDER, AND (D) IN INWARDLY FOLDED-OVER EDGE STRIP ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF EACH LONGITUDINAL SIDE STRIP. 